Railway car



Dea. 29, ,1925- B. B. GREER RAILWAY CAR Filed April '7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 patented Bee. Z9, i925.

UNITED STATES assure PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMN B. GREER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.'

RAILVJAY CAR.

Application filed April 7,

To @ZI reliant it may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN B. Ganan, a citizen et the United States, and aresident ct' Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ci illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Railway Cars, of which the tollowinc' is a description, reference being' had to the accompanying' drawings, which form a part of my specification.

My invention relates to a composite construction and method of reenforcing cars and more particularly to gondola cars; the ii'ivention having' for its object the provision :st a construction adapted to resist load tln'usts and wherein the shocks or thrusts will be transferred to the structural members or under'frame oi' the car, while at the same time the various reentorcing elements will come within the general requirements as to clearance, etc.

@ne object or my invention is to provide a construction of gondola car wherein the bottom side planks and floor boards are termed to provide a granular or sand seal between the iioor and side and end walls.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction employing reeniorcing elements proportioned according to the stresses on the diiierent members; while at y.the same time providing' means whereby outward bulging ot the car sides will be prevented.

T he objects and advantages et mv inven tion will be more fully con'iprehended and uu ileistood trom the detailed description of the acconipaiiyinp` drawings whereiu1- lllip'ure 1 is a perspective View of my improved g'ondola car, with the'running gear emitted and a portion of one side wall broken away.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view of the juncture between the bottom wall plank and 'licor-board, with portions broken away.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one end of the car.

Figure et is a detail sectional view taken on the line --fi of Figure 3 looking' in the direction of the arrows.

lily invention relates more particularly to what is known as a composite type of gondela car; that is to say to a wood and steel construction wherein the side and end walls :ire formed of suitable planks 10, preferably et a tongue and `rroove type as shown at 11,

in Figure 2, in order to pr vide proper junc- 1924. Serial No. 704,58?.

tures between the superposed planks to adapt the car for lading of a granular nature.

The bottom planks 12 ot the side and end walls are of increasing thickness toward the lower edge, with the inner faces ot the bottoni planks made sloping` as shown at 13 in Figure 2 and thereiiore extending:r beyond the vertical plane cil the inner sides of the walls, while the outer face extends Hush with superposed planks 10.

The planks 12 are chamfered or gained at the lower inner edge as shown at 14 in Figure 2, to an extent suiicient to receive the adjacent edges of the floor-boards 15 at the ends of the car and to receive the ends et the floor-boards 15 at the sides of the car.

The bottom wall planks 12 are of such thickness at the lower gained 'edges as to leave a plank thickness preferably at least equal to the thickness of the superposed wall planks.

The gain 14 is such as to provide a snug fit between the wall planks and the floorboards whereby a granular or sand seal between the walls and the floor of the car is provided.

In the particular erempliiication of the invention as disclosed in Figure 1, the car wall, composed or" the superposed planks or timbers 10 and thebottom end plank 12, at

top is reentorced by side and end plates or v suitable angles at 16; while the longitudinal center at the bottom of the end walls is provided with the usual strikingcasting shown at 17 at points coincident with the draft ritrg'ing under the floor o't the car.

The reenforcing means for the end walls comprises a structural member 18, which is adapted to extend from top to' bot-tom formed of suitable sheet metal with a longitudinal outwardly pressed dished portion 19, somewhat U-shape in cross-section, disposed substantially throughout the length to constitute a reeni'orcing' rib, whose ends are preferably tapered ofi' into the flat and somewhat 'enlarged flared portions. The upper flared end of member 18 is riveted or suitably secured to the reentorcing angle iron 16, while the lower end is Apreferably 'disposed rearward ot and secured to the striking casting 17 andv to the undertrame or structural portion of the car.

The lower fiared end of-member 18 suiciently large to also receive the lower ends of the two l 1ace members 20, 20, arranged on opposite sides of member 18 and diverging upwardly toward the upper corners of the car end walls. These brace members 20, 20 are also composed of suitable sheet metal; each provided with a longitudinal rib or corrugation, preferably son'iewhat of channel formation in cross-section; while the ends of the brace members are enlarged to prof'ide suitable attaching points whereby the upper ends may have lapping relation with and be secured or riveted to the reenforcing angle member 16. rlhe lower ends of both brace members Q0 are brought into close relation with each other and preferably rearward of the lower end of member 18 so as to permit the same securing means or rivets which secure the lower end of member 18 to also constitute the fastening means forl a portion of the lower ends of both brace members 20, 20; while the immediate lower ends of both brace members 20, 20, which are also arranged rearward of the striking casting or plate 17, are secured to the car underframe by the same rivets or fastening meanswhereby the striking plate or casting and the lower end of member 18 are secured in place.

The intermediate longitudinal sides of the member 16 and the members 20, 20, at suitable intervals, are secured to the planks of the end walls of the car by suitable bolts and nuts so as to secure the end planks in flush relation with the reenforcing members.

rl`he corners of the car, namely the junctures between the sides and ends of the car, are each provided with a reinforcing member or angular metallic plate 21, formed to lie flush with the sides and ends of the car. The lower ends of the plates 21 are preferably flared or enlarged to provide greater attaching and reenforcing surfaces at the sides and end sills of the car underframe. These plates Q1, 21 are adapted to extend from a point adjacent to the top of the car to a point preferably beneath the floor level and therefore in lapping relation with the side as shown at the lower ends of said ,.f -ieing rigidly secured to the side and end sills,while the upper ends are adapted to be secured to the reenforcing side and end plates or angles 16. That portion of the plates 21, disposed about the ends of the car, ad .cent to the top, is preferably arranged beneath and in partial lapping relation with the upper ends of the race members Q0, 2t), so that the rivets or other securing means at the upper ends of the brace members 2O will also constitute the securing means for the upper portions of the plates 21 atA the ends of the car. The lcorner plates 21, like the members 16 and 20, at suitable points throughout the lengths thereof, are also preferably perforated to receive bolts for securing the end and side planks, thereto.

he corner plates 21, as well as the brace members 20, or at least one of each, at proper points, are formed to receive bolts for securing the hand-holds and steps, indicated at 23, which are arranged along the ends of the car as well as on the sides adjacent to the ends, as shown in Figure 1.

The angle iron plates 16, along the upper side walls and those on the end walls, are connect/ed by the more or less curved plates 24, the outer edges whereof are preferably flanged and these plates are rivet-ed to the angle iron 16; the plates 241 assisting in reenforcing the upper corners of the car.

The side walls on the car exterior are provided with a plurality of side posts 25 and bolster posts 26 suitably spaced apart and extending from the top side plate or angle iron 16 to the channel beam or side sill 27 and riveted at their ends thereto. These side posts 25 and the bolster posts Q6 (which are substantially similar in construction) are preferably each formed of sheet steel pressed or folded back upon itself so as to provide an outwardly disposed rib 28, intermediate of the longitudinal sides of the posts, increasing in depth toward the bottom of the post. The longitudinal wings or sides of the posts, intermediate of the ends, are each provided with suitably spaced bolt-holes preferably arranged in staggered relation so that at least a pair of bolts one on each side of the stilfening` rib 28) will pass through each wall plank of the car side.

At the upper end of each side post 25, extending from one side thereof and parallel with the side plate or angle 16, is a gusset 29, which is riveted to the angle plate 16.

At the lower end of each side post and extending from the opposite side thereof, as well as at the bottom of each bolster post 26, is a gusset 8 riveted to the channel beam or side sill 27.

Extending from the gusset 29 at the upper end of one side post to the gusset 30 at the lower end of the adjacent post, is a diagonal brace 31 which is preferably Ain the nature of a channel with the flanges or longitudinal sides disposed outwardly, thus permitting the channel brace to extend flush with the side planks 10, to at least some of which it is preferably bolted as shown at- 32. rlhe upper ends of the diagonal braces 31 are shown riveted to the gussets 29 and the side plate 16, while the lower ends of the diagonal braces 31 are shown riveted to the gussets 30 and to the side sill; thereby providing a. very rigid and strong construction.

it the ends of the car side walls, the car shown provided with end straps 33; the upper end being ri Jeted to the side plate 16 adjacent to the bolster post 26, while the lower end is slightly off-set or bent so as to overlap the skirted portion of the corner post or plate 2l, to which it is riveted as well as to the side sill. The end straps 33 are preferably in the nature of flat metaliic straps so as to provide suitable clearance for the hand holds and steps, which are arranged at the sides of the car, and therefore present no protruding surfaces.

The diagonal braces in conjunction with the posts are proportioned according to the stresses placed on the different members and are therefore made of different widths, increasing in transverse dimensions from the intermediate side post toward the bolster post at each end of the car.

The side walls on the interior of the car, at predetermined points and more particularly intermediate of the ends of the car adjacent to the drop-doors 3a in the floor, are provided with the internal gussets 35 which extend from the side sills a considerable distance above the fioor. These internal gussets 5:3 preferably each consist of a more or less triangular cut sheet or steel plate and a pair of angle bars and are arranged at points coincident with a side post on the car exterior. The triangular plate is preferably cut away at the base at one side so as to clear the sill of the underframe and the juncture between the lower wall plank and floor board, in order that the lower end of the plate may extend through a narrow slot in the floor-board and be riveted to a transversely disposed member of the car underframe. The angle bars of the gusset are disposed on opposite sides of the triangular plate with one side of each angle bar flush with the side wall timbers and apertured to receive the bolts which pass through the side posts and timbers; while the other sides of the angle bars are arranged in lapping relation with opposite sides of the plate and all three members riveted together, as more clearly shown in Figure 4.

There the car walls are formed with the lower plank formed as shown in the drawings, one side of each angle bar 36 is preferably slit as shown at 37 in order to permit the lower ends ofthe angle bars to be bent to correspond with the slope 13 of the lower wall plank l2, as shown in Figure 4e.

These internal gussets assist materially in strengthening the car and prevent the side walls bulging outwardly, which is also the' case with the lower planks constructed as shown, as these planks are adapted to take care of the maximum horizontal bulging pressure.

lith the tripartite car end reenforcement or inverted tripodal bracing which provides a cantilever construction whereby strains are transmitted to the center beam of the car underframe; the side wall diagonal braces proportioned according to the granular lading; the sealing juncture being v provided without, however, weakening the walls of the car.

`Where the car is provided with dropdoors as at Set and the bottom wall planks as shown and described, the swinging ends of the drop-doors will be disposed beneath the lower flared end of the plank and thus prevent the granular lading of the car sifting past the free ends of the doors. At the same time this construction ensures a coniplete closing of the drop-doors, because of the impossibility of the lading becoming lodged at the swinging ends of the doors where it would interfere with a complete closure.

1While my improvements have been illustrated in connection with a gondola car provided #ith side dump bottom doors, hinged adjacent to the longitudinal center line of the car and operable from the sides of the car, as for example by the angle bars 3S (see Figure l) held in position by the pivoted hook members 39, it is apparent that the improvements are applicable to cars whether provided with different types of drop doors or with none; and it is also apparent that certain of the improvements may be employed on a gondola type of car, wherein the juncture of the walls and floor is not of the specific construction herein described; the drawings illustrating an adaptation of my invention which has been described in terms employed merely as terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as structural n'ioditications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I cla-im is:

1. A car construction, the side and end walls whereof consist of superposed, edge to edge, planks, mounted on the end and side sills of the car underframe, the longitudinal upper edge of the top planks being provided with metallic angle plates, bolted thereto, an inverted tripodal brace on the end walls, side posts and diagonal bracing secured to the side sills and said angle plates, and gusset members extending upwardly from the side sills along the inner side walls and secured thereto.,

2. In a gondola car, side wall bracing comprising bolster posts and side posts of sheet metal bent upon itself intermediate of the longitudinal side edges to provide ribs increasing in depth toward the bottoms of the posts, corner-posts adapted to lap about the ends and side walls of the car, gnssets secured at the ends of the bolster and side posts, channel members secured, respectively, to the gusset at the upper end of one post and at the bottoni to the gusset of the adjacent post, and end straps disposed diagonally between the upper ends of the bolster posts and the lower ends of the cornerposts.

3. A gondola car having walls of superposed planks, the bottoni plank increasing in thickness toward the lower edge, with inner lower edge of the plank being chamfered or gained to receive the adjacent edge of the floor member.

l. ln a car of the character described, the walls whereof are composed of superposed planks, with the lower plank of the walls increasing in thickness toward the lower longitudinal edgethereof and provided with a longitudinal chamfer or gain on the lower inner longitudinal edge of said planks adapted to receive the adjacent portion of the floor, with a portion of the lower planks resting on the floor while the other portion laps the edges of the Hoor and rests on the car underframe.

In a gondola car having walls of superposed planks, with the lower plank increasing in thickness toward the lower edge and sloping inwardly, internal gussets each composed of a triangular plate adapted to eX- tend through the ear floor and be secured to the car underframe and an angle bar arranged on each side of said plate, with one side of each bar secured to the car walls, while the other side of each bar is in lapping relation with theplate and all secured together, the last mentioned side of each bar being slit and the lower end of the bars bent inwardly to conform with the sloping surface of the lower wall plank.

6. -ln a gondola car having a lower wall plank of increasing thickness toward the lower edge, an internal gusset composed of a triangular plate extending inwardly from the car wall and disposed through the carfioor, with the lower end secured to the car underframe, and an angle bar arranged on each side of the plate with one side in lapping relation with the plate and secured thereto, while the lower portions of said bars are bent inwardly to conform with the sloping surface of the lower wall plank.

7. In a ear provided with bottoni dropdoors, side walls of superposed planks, with the bottom plank increasing in thickness toward the lower edge and adapted to overlap the adjacent ends of the doors.

8. In a gondola carprovided with bottom drop-doors hinged at the ends adjacent to the longitudinal center of the car, side walls of superposed planks, the bottom planks whereof are made of increasing thickness toward the lower edge and adapted to overlap the swinging ends of the doors.

9. A car construction, the side and end walls thereof consist of superposed planks mounted on the end and side sills of the car underframe, metallic angle plates secured to the topmost planks ofthe side and end walls, an inverted tripodal brace on the end walls secured to the end sills and to the angle plates, and side posts and diagonal bracing secured to the side sills and to the angle plates, the side posts and tripodal brace being formed to provide longitudinal ribs, with the ribs of the side posts increasing in depth toward the bottom in a direction transversely of the wall.

BENJAMIN B. GREER. 

